1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for controlling a timer via a network, the system capable of increasing accuracy and convenience by improving accuracy of time synchronization.
2. Description of the Related Art
Development of electronic technology has embodied automation of plants, offices, and homes. Particularly, as most basic technology of automation, there is a timer function of electronic devices. The timer function of electronic devices allows a corresponding device to operate or to stop operating at a time set by a user, which notably improves functions of general home appliances such as washing machines, electric rice-cookers, electric fans, air-conditioners, and televisions and office automation appliances such as computers.
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2003-0049496 discloses “Engine Control System Using Timer” in which a method of automatically operating an engine to automatically start or to automatically stop at an appointed time set by a user by attaching a system intelligently controlling a vehicular engine start schedule using time sensing by a timer, without a general portable remote controller.
However, though general timer functions are used in various forms in addition to reservation and operation of home appliances, a user has to directly operate each timer one by one to use them.
Also, there are a considerable number of electronic products using a timer. When controlling timers of many products simultaneously, not only it is difficult to accurately operate but also there is required a lot of time since general timers are manually set one by one.
Recently, there is provided a technology of operating a device to be reserved and turned on/off from a long distant place by using a home server connected to a home network to which a plurality of home appliances whose terminal is connected to the network wired or wireless. However, in this case, a time difference or interval between a point in time to request control and a point in time to actually control home appliances may occur due to a transmission delay of the network and it is difficult to control home appliances simultaneously.
Also, since a time difference between areas is not considered, there is a limit on remote control from an area in a different time zone.